


Sentry

by Nokomis



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Alpha Scott, Gen, M/M, Nogitsune Stiles, Pre-Slash, Sharing a Bed, or could be read as gen if you prefer, post 3x18
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-02-15
Updated: 2014-02-15
Packaged: 2018-01-12 11:06:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,116
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1185506
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nokomis/pseuds/Nokomis
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Scott makes sure Stiles gets the sleep he needs.  (post 3x18)</p>
            </blockquote>





	Sentry

**Author's Note:**

> For Littlewitch34, who wanted Sciles. This is set post-3x18. This can be read as pre-slash or gen, depending on your preference. Originally posted on tumblr [here.](http://nokomiss.tumblr.com/post/76599971450/littlewitch34-replied-to-your-post-im-snowed-in)

"You look bad," Scott tells Stiles, pushing him towards his bedroom. "You need to sleep."

"No," Stiles says, shaking his head. The movement is subdued; Scott can’t ever remember seeing Stiles this… defeated. "Can’t."

"You can’t even form full sentences, dude," Scott says. "It’s time for sleep."

He pushes Stiles over the threshold to his room; the walls are still covered with drawings and clippings and post-its with obscure notes, but he’d come in earlier and pulled the scissors out of the bed and cut the strings, letting them dangle. He doesn’t ask about them; other things are more important right now. Stiles is more important right now.

"I want to," Stiles says quietly. It’s the same voice he was using right before the MRI, one that Scott very rarely hears. "But if I sleep, it might…"

He can’t seem to force the words out, and Scott tries hard not to think about what Stiles has already done to try to protect him. To protect them all.

Tries not to think about Stiles choosing to destroy himself rather than let the nogitsune have the chaos it wants.

"I won’t let it," Scott promises. "I’m staying."  
Stiles shakes his head, tries to push Scott away, but Scott reaches out and takes his hand, squeezes it tight. “You’re stuck with me, bro.”

Stiles robotically gets ready for bed — Scott doesn’t give him an option, just herds him to the bathroom and back to the bedroom, pulling the blankets back and patting the bed invitingly, waggling his eyebrows until he gets a weak smile from Stiles. He’s pulled on a pair of Stiles’ sleep pants himself, and once Stiles climbs into bed, he follows, pulling the covers over them both and patting them into place with exaggerated care.

Scott leaves the lamp on without mentioning it; he remembers elementary school sleepovers when Stiles would always leave light on. Stiles had mentioned once that his mom told him the monsters only like shadows, and Scott tries hard to put that memory out of mind now.

Stiles lays flat on his back, staring at the ceiling. His hands are flat by his sides, and even more telling, his fingers aren’t tapping, his feet are still, he isn’t constantly readjusting his blankets. Scott does the only thing a best friend can do, and pinches Stiles’ arm.

"What the hell was that?" Stiles turns on his side to glare at Scott.

Scott grins crookedly at him. “Making sure you were you. You were creepy-still.”

"I was trying to go to sleep," Stiles says, voice softening. "Like you wanted."

"And you don’t?" Scott reaches out and pokes Stiles’ shoulder. If he touches him enough, maybe he’ll convince him that this is reality. That Stiles is here, now, and Scott won’t let him hurt anyone.

Stiles’ smiles is sad. “I haven’t really been having the best experiences lately.”

"That, my friend, is because you haven’t had me with you," Scott informs him. "It’s impossible to be evil when sleeping with an Alpha."

"Tell that to everyone who’s ever slept with Derek," Stiles mutters.

"Did you just make an actual joke?" Scott reaches out and tickles Stiles’ side. 

Stiles tries to squirm away. “Never, dude, my sense of humor’s been possessed.”

The best thing about werewolf powers is that Scott is in prime position to never lose a tickle-fight again in his life. He easily catches Stiles, rucking up his shirt enough to tickle him mercilessly.

Stiles’ breathless laughter is exactly what Scott needs to hear; he doesn’t realize until he’s grinning into the crook of Stiles’ neck, still idly tickling Stiles’ side, how many of his protective instincts have been on edge. He takes in a deep breath, and the scent is clean, pure Stiles. Nothing dark and tainted, none of the stress and terror from their last embrace.

Stiles’ laughter fades away, and he gets a few retaliatory jabs at Scott’s most ticklish spots, and they end up twisted together, all of Stiles’ stoic distance from earlier gone.

Scott doesn’t ask where Stiles disappeared to. He knows the missing time bothers Stiles because it bothers him, too, but what’s important is that Stiles is here in front of him, against him, and that he’s safe, even if just for the moment.

"If it takes me…" Stiles’ voice catches a bit, "don’t let it get my dad."

Scott knows that the nogitsune is probably there, watching him just as carefully as Stiles, so he lets his eyes flash just enough to remind them both that Scott’s an Alpha. That he can stop Stiles, even if there’s a dark entity controlling him. “I won’t. I’m right here, you don’t have to be the strong one. Not with me here. I’ve got you.”

He keeps mumbling things like that, reassuring Stiles that he can kick his ass if need be, that Scott won’t let Stiles lose control. That he’ll call Isaac, Lydia, Allison, Derek to take Stiles down, if need be.

Some of it is lies; Scott could never cold-heartedly destroy his best friend. But he would figure out a way to save him, and even though that’s not what Stiles needs to hear, not what he’s craving to hear right now, it’s what Scott knows needs to happen.

Stiles needs to be saved, and Scott is going to make sure that happens.

Stiles’ heartbeat steadies into a reassuring rhythm. Scott keeps Stiles pulled close, one arm wrapped around him and Stiles’ face tucked just under Scott’s chin. His breath is warm against Scott’s chest, and as it evens out and Stiles’ eyes flutter closed, Scott presses a kiss to the top of Stiles’ head.

He’s going to keep watch all night, watching the shadows play on the walls, keeping guard. He won’t let anything in to hurt Stiles, and won’t let anything within Stiles hurt himself.

The terror in Stiles’ voice during that midnight phone call had been real, and while Stiles has steadfastly refused to share exactly what happened between him and the nogitsune on that mental battleground, Scott knows in his gut that it changed Stiles. That it affected Stiles on some intrinsic level, and for that, Scott wants the nogitsune destroyed.

Wants it to pay for what it’s done, for every shake and tremor in Stiles’ voice that night. For what it drove Stiles to do, for forcing his best friend to have to make the choice to sacrifice himself.

Scott’s going to make it pay. He’s sure of that.

Stiles’ sleep is fitful and shallow, but Scott stays by his side the whole night, and come morning, some of the shadows have begun to fade from under his eyes.

It’s a start.


End file.
